Changing His Life: The First Chapter
by BeckyBoo12221
Summary: Completely AU with some spoliers. Megan never knew that when she met the small black haired green eyed boy in Diagonalley that they would change each others lives forever. It's a month later and now she's off to Hogwarts to learn to be a witch.
1. Meeting Meggan Marron

**Chapter 1 (Meeting Harry Potter) **

It was 31th of July 1991; Eleven year old Megan Marron got out of her bed her long black/brown hair flowing behind her as went down stairs to see her mother, father, brother and sister at the kitchen table; she sat down next to her older brother Lucas or Luke for short. Luke was thirteen, he had black/brown hair and light grey eyes, and he was tall and had a strong build. Megan watched as her mother waved her wand and a plate of pancakes floated through the air towards them.

"What should the owls be here?" Megan asked, her father sighed. His dark blond hair going into his green eyes,

"They'll be here soon, sweetheart" he said, just then an owl flew through the window. This was a regular recurrence when you're a pureblood family; her mother Cynthia was a descendant of the Black family but was disowned for marrying a blood traitor, her father Jonathan Marron was a son of the blood traitorous Marron family. Her parent's love each other very much there for did not care about what the Black side of the family said.

Megan's sister younger sister Kate reached across the table towards the owl. Kate was ten; she had blond hair like her dad but grey eyes like her mother and brother. Megan was the only one who inherited the green eyes off her father. The owl gave Kate a nip, she giggled and petted it. Megan however wanted to see the letters it was holding and untied them from the owl's leg. With the two letters in her hand Megan separated them and handed the one addressed to her brother to him.

"Thanks" he said and opened it. Megan opened hers it read…

_Dear Miss Marron,_

_We are happy to confirm you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of witch craft and wizardry  
enclosed you fine a list on items you will need._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Professor Minerva McGonagall,  
Transfiguration professor, Head of Gryffindor house,  
Deputy Head mistress._

"I'm In, I'm In, I'm In" Megan sang dancing round the kitchen, she gave her mother and father kisses on the cheek and gave her brother a hug, before picking up her sister and spinning her around. "When can we go to Diagonalley?" she asked excitedly. Her mother laughed.

"Meg, calm down we'll go this afternoon" she said, Megan started dancing again. "But you have to get dressed" her father added. Megan stopped dancing and ran upstairs to her bed room. She opened her draw and pulled out her jeans and a long, mid-thigh, top, it was long sleeved, and the colour was camel and black in thick stripes. She also grabbed her dark purple converses and pulled them on. When she got downstairs she saw her dark red robes hanging on the back of her chair, picked them up and slipped them on.

"I'm ready to go" she said bouncing on the balls of her feet. She heard two pairs of feet on the stairs and saw her siblings hurrying down as well, Lucas was in jeans and a green shirt, whilst Kate was in a black skirt, a light blue halter neck top and black pumps, their robes were on the backs of their chairs as well. Lucas' were black with dark green cuffs matching his shirt whilst Kate's were navy with gold edging.

"Ready" the two of them said.

"Great stand over by the floo" their mother instructed, the three minors went over to the fire place and each too a hand full of the green floo powder. "Right go to the leaky cauldron" Cynthia told them, the three kids nodded, Lucas went first and disappeared in a whirl of green flames, Kate followed him and she too disappeared in a whirl of green flames.

"Meg, you next" Jonathan said and pushed Megan gently towards the fire. Megan grabbed a hand full of floo powder and shouted

"DIAGONALLEY" once she was in the fire. She disappeared in a whirl of flame as the others did.

* * *

Megan reappeared in the leaky cauldron to be met by happy sight; she saw a group of red heads, standing looking at the fire place she just came through.

"Megan" Molly Weasley said and pulled her into a bone crushing hug.

"Hello, Molly" she said, Molly was Jonathan's cousin therefore making her Megan's great cousin. Molly let go of her and she saw four of the six Weasley boys, Bill had gone off to be a curse breaker in Egypt a year and a half ago, and Charlie had just gone off to Romania to work with Dragons. That left Percy, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny; the only girl.

"Hey Guys" Megan greeted; Percy shook her hand, whilst Fred and George kissed a cheek each, Ron gave her an awkward hug and Ginny gave her a normal hug.

"Hey Meg" they all said.

"So what's new?" she asked, Fred and George looked at Percy, who had puffed out his chest, shining on his chest was a badge that read 'Prefect'

"You made Prefect hey Perc?" she said, Percy looked down at her through his horn rimmed glasses; he hated be called Perc.

"Yes, Megan I did" he said and walked over to his father and started talking to him. Megan rolled her eyes and turned back to the other four; Ginny was still short with her cropped auburn hair and brown eyes. Ron was tall for his age and hair bright red hair and deep blue eyes, he was lanky. Fred and George were tall as well and had their hair cut short, with their Blue sparkling eyes twinkling with mischief.

"He's been like that since he got the letter" Ron told her.

"Yeah, he thinks that now he's a prefect he's better than us" Fred said.

"Can you believe it better than US" George added. Megan grinned at them.

"No, No I cannot" she said, they smiled at her.

"You know you are great" George said,

"Superb" Fred continued

"Marvellous"

"Stupendous"

"And downright Brilliant" they finished together. Megan laughed at the identical look on their faces as they looked at each other.

"And you two are mischievous, crazy… Genius'" she said back, they grinned at her.

"Thank you dear cousin" they said and bowed.

"Come on kids" Mr Weasley said, "Hello Megan where's your mum and dad?" he asked, she smiled at him.

"_He may be really daft but he is sweet" Megan thought_.

"Hello Mr Weasley how are you?" she asked, Mr Weasley smiled down at her.

"I'm great, just wondering why you are here by yourself" he said, Megan smiled.

"I actually came through after Luke and Kate, mum and Dad said they would join us in a minute" she explained, Mr Weasley nodded. Molly came up behind him.

"Well you can stay with us until then" Molly said Megan thanked Molly. They all sat down at the large table and chatted until the flames in the fire turned green and out stumbled Megan's mum, quickly after her was Jonathan; they both brushed off the soot and sat down with the Weasleys.

"Molly" Jonathan said and gave her a hug.

"Hello Jonathan, We've been waiting for twenty minutes for you" she said, "We'll see you at the train station ok" she said. Jonathan nodded.

"No problem Molly, we'll see you later" he said, Megan waved at Ron and Ginny.

"See you on the train" she called as they parted. Megan saw Luke over in the corner talking to Fred and George grinning, she sighed.

"Come on Luke" she shouted, he spun round and smiled at her.

"Coming mum" he said sarcastically and ran over to them.

"What were you talking about?" Kate asked, Luke looked down at her and smiled.

"Wouldn't you like to know" he said "Look Madame Malkin's" he said pointing to a shop, Megan gasped and pulled her mum's arm.

"Can I go in mum?" she asked, Cynthia laughed and nodded.

"Sure, go on in" she said, Megan hurried up the store steps and through the door to see the back of a boy about her age, he had black hair and was thin. He clothes were falling off him.

"Hogwarts, too?" she asked, The boy spun round to look at her he had, emerald green eyes and quite a square face.

"Yes" he said, Megan smiled. Just then Madame Malkin came through the store.

"Oh, Hello dear, Hogwarts?" she asked, Megan smiled at her and nodded. "Ok, you two come through the back and we'll get you sorted" she said and lead the two of them to in front of a big mirror where a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood the boy and Megan on stools next to him slipped a long robe over each of their heads, and began to pin it to the right length once she called another witch over to help.

"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Megan answering for her and the boy.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He then noticed who he was talking to. "_Megan_, what is a blood traitor like you doing in a place like here?" He sneered, Megan held her head high.

"_Draco_, I'm here to get my robes for Hogwarts" she said back sweetly, then she felt a tap on her leg, she looked down to see the witch was done with her.

"I'll go wrap these up for you" she said and disappeared.

"I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms, once I'm done here. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow." Draco continued

"It was nice meeting you" Megan said to the black haired boy who smiled at her. "Draco" she said glaring at him, she then walked back to the front room and paid for her robes.

"Thank you" she said and walked out of the shop, she bumped into a large person. "Hagrid" she said surprised, he looked down at her.

" Hello Megan"

"What are you doing here?" she asked, Hagrid pointed at Madame Malkin's.

"You're bringing the boy in there to Diagonalley" she said, he nodded.

"MEGAN" she heard her mother call.

"Sorry Hagrid, got to go, I'll see you when I get to Hogwarts" she said as she ran towards her mum.

"Time to go get your wand" her mother said leading Megan to Olivanders. They walked in and it was empty,

"Hello" Megan called.

"Mr Olivander?" her mother called.

"Good Afternoon" a voice said from their right, Megan's mum pulled Megan behind her. When she saw who it was she relaxed.

"Hello, Olivander" she said and moved away from Megan,

"Hello" Megan said quietly.

"Ah yes, Megan Marron, I remember selling your father and mother their wands" he said looking at Cynthia, who smiled at held her wand up. "Nine and a quarter inches, Willow, Female Unicorn Maine for the core, Powerful and very good at transfiguration. Now your father was difficult elder, eleven inches, had Dragon scales, particularly difficult to make, even harder to sell, now let's see what wand choses you." He said and went to a shelf, he pulled out a dark brown box with a gold ribbon, and he got the wand out.

"Ten inches, Oak with Dragon heart string" he handed the wand to Megan, she was about to wave it when he whipped it out of her hand. He got another box down but it was red with a silver ribbon. "Eight and a half inches, Yew the cores Unicorn hair, give that a go" he said, Megan didn't get a chance again.

"Never mind, how about this Maple with Phoenix feather, nine inches, try that" he said and handed her the wand, as soon as her hand was round the wand she felt a warm feeling in her fingers.

"There we are, not as I suspected, I though you would be a mix of your parents but I see I was wrong, right seven galleons" he said to Megan's mother, she handed the money over and they left the shop.

"Me and your father got your books and ingredients, we just need to get you an owl" she said. Megan looked towards the owl emporium and saw a beautiful black owl it had bright blue eyes, she locked eyes with it and she couldn't stop.

"That one" she said pointing at it, her mother looked at the owl and smiled.

"Ok, let's go and get it then" The two of them walked towards the shop to by the owl.

* * *

**_Hey, _**

**_What do you think? I don't know whether it is that good, but you tell me what you think, please read and review, HAPPY NEW YEAR_**

**_Bye,_**

**_-Becky_**


	2. 2 On The Train

**Chapter 2 (On the Train) **

Megan woke up and looked at the calendar on the wall it was the 1st September, she screamed excitedly and jumped out of bed, she ran down stairs still in her night clothes.

"We have to get the train to day" she shouted happily, "I'm going to Hogwarts" she added and ran back up the stairs leaving her family watching her with smiles on their faces. She ran back up stairs and pulled on her dark blue skinny jeans, she looked around for a top, she finally found her plain long-sleeved purple round neck top with black waist coat, and she grabbed her black pumps and slid them on. She put her Hogwarts robes that were on the end of her bed in her bag, she carefully put her wand on top of them and she shoved her books (Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century and Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century) and her diary in her bag. She put the bag over her shoulder and went down stairs.

"Can we go now?" she asked, it was ten o'clock already and she wanted to see the Weasleys before she left.

"No we have to wait for your brother and sister" Her father said, Megan sat down at the breakfast table and huffed.

"He'll be down in a minute" her mother said from behind her cup of tea.

"He'll be down right now" said a voice from the doorway, Megan turned to see Luke leaning against the door frame with his rucksack over one shoulder a smug grin across his face. "We are now waiting for Kate" he said. They heard a pair of feet on the stairs and Kate ran straight into Luke.

"Oh" she looked at him. "Sorry Luke, Are we going now?" she asked. Mrs Marron stood up and put her mug in the sink, Whilst Mr Marron picked his wand up from off the side.

"Ready to go then, you two?" he asked Megan and Luke, Luke moved out of the door way and into the kitchen.

"I'm ready let's get going" he said and stood next to the table. Megan smiled at her dad.

"We can go now" she said, her father nodded. Megan shrieked and grabbed Kate's arm and dragged her towards her mother. Mr Marron walked up the stairs and came back a couple of minutes later putting something in his pocket and two owl cages floating behind him.

"You both forgot your owls" he said "and your trunks" he added, "I took the liberty of picking them up" he said and took Luke's arm in a firm grip.

"Beet you there" Mrs Marron said giving her husband a grin and spinning.

Megan felt as if she was going to be sick, she hadn't ever travelled by apperating before, and she never wanted to do it again.

"That was horrible" she gasped when everything stopped spinning, she heard a laughed she looked up to see Luke, Fred and George grinning down at her.

"Megan" the twins said happily before hugging her.

"Oi, hands off my sister" Luke called,

"What are you going to do when I get older?" she asked rolling her eyes. Luke shrugged.

"No idea but I hope I'm not here when you get your first boyfriend or these two idiots will have to pull me off him" he said pointing a thumb over his shoulder at said two idiots that were standing over by a boy with dreadlocks who was holding a box.

"Is that Lee?" she asked, nodding at the boy, Luke spun round and grinned.

"Yeah, it's him he said in his letter he had a surprise for me, Fred and George, It must be in the box" he said looking over at the group off people longingly. Megan rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Go on" she said giving him a nudge. Luke grinned at her then ran over to the group.

"Give us a look, Lee, Go on" he said pushing through the crowd till he was at the front. Megan saw her mother talking with Molly and she walked over to them to hear Molly telling her mother about a little boy.

"He was so polite, asked me how to get onto the platform. He looked as though he could have done with a good feed. He had black messy hair and green eyes, his clothes were dropping of him" she said, Mrs Marron nodded.

"Was he with any one?" she asked "Even if they are muggleborn they're told how to get onto the platform, I wonder why he didn't?" she thought out loud. Mrs Marron worked at the ministry in the magic registration office; she knew about all the next wizarding generations, it was her job for the headmaster or mistress of Hogwarts to be informed about the muggleborns coming into the school, so she knew how the system worked.

"No idea, love" Mr Marron said coming up to the women "I'll got all the things on the train, just got to say goodbye to the children now" he said.

"Right, have to find them all first" Molly said, Ron wasn't standing that far away and Ginny was clutching her mother's hand, it was Fred, George and Percy that no one knew off.

"Fred? George? Are you there?" she called

"Coming Mum" they called, Megan saw them jump off the train and come towards them. Molly noticed something on Ron's nose and pulled out a handkerchief.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose."

Ron tried to jump out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.

"Mom— Geoff" He wiggled free.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nose?" said George

"Shut up," Ron muttered.

"Where's Percy?" said Megan asked.

"He's coming now." Fred told everyone

Percy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes. Megan rolled her eyes.

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front; the prefects have got two compartments to themselves —"

"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" Fred said, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once —"

"Or twice —"

"A minute —"

"All summer —"

"Oh, shut up," said Percy

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.

"Because he's a _prefect_," said Molly fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term — send me an owl when you get there."

She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.

"Now, you two — this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've — you've blown up a toilet or —" Megan groaned.

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."

"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."

"It's not funny. And look after Ron and Megan."

"Don't worry; ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."

"So is Meg"

"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where Molly had rubbed it.

"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?" George said

"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?" Fred said

"Who?"

"Harry Potter!"

"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, eh please…" Ginny pleaded. Megan rolled her eyes. "You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there — like lightning."

"Poor dear — no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Molly suddenly became very stern.

"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."

"All right, keep your hair on."

A whistle sounded. Megan looked at her parents.

"See you at Christmas" she said and gave them a kiss each.

"Hurry up!" Molly said, and the boys and Megan clambered onto the train. The boys leaned out of the window for Molly to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you a load of owls." Megan reassured

"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat."

"George!"

"Only joking, Mom." He said grinning.

The train began to move. Molly was waving and Ginny, half laughing, half crying, was running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved.

The three boys and Megan watched Ginny and Molly disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses started to flash past the window. Fred and George grinned at Megan.

"See you later"

"Yeah, we're off to go see Luke and Lee" They said a disappeared, Megan looked at Ron.

"Let's go find a compartment" she said and grabbed his arm. She dragged him up the train until they found a compartment with just one person in it. She opened the door.

"Anyone sitting there?" she asked, pointing at the seat opposite the boy "Everywhere else is full."

The boys shook his head and Megan sat down. She noticed Ron hadn't sat down; she stood up and stuck her head out of the compartment to see a nervous looking Ron standing there. "Come on Ron, he's a boy like you he won't bite" she said and grabbed his arm again and pulled him into the compartment "Sorry this is my Cousin and Friend Ron Weasley, I'm Megan Marron, I met you in Diagonalley didn't I?" she asked, The boy looked up and nodded.

"Yes I met you in Diagonalley; you were in Madame Malkin's right?" Megan smiled at him.

"Yep that was me and _Draco _Malfoy" she growled the last two words. Ron glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked.

"Hey, Ron"

"Hey, Megan"

The twins were back.

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron. Megan sighed.

"Thanks boys" she muttered she knew Ron had no friends and the twins; she knew they didn't mean to, were practically rubbing it in his face.

"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother and our cousin and friend Megan Marron. See you later, then."

"Bye," said Harry and Ron. Megan shook her head. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out. Megan hit Ron.

Harry nodded.

"Oh — well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got — you know…"

He pointed at Harry's forehead.

Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.

"So that's where You-Know-Who —?"

"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.

"Well — I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.

"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him.

"Err — Yes, I think so" Ron said sounding very unsure. "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him and Megan's dad is Mum's cousin once removed, so she's my Great cousin once removed" Megan put a hand to her head.

"Ron, shut up" she said,

"So you must know loads of magic already." Harry asked

"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"

"Horrible — well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."

"Five," Megan and Ron said at the same time. Ron was looking gloomy.

"I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts.

"There's nothing wrong with that, Ron, look at me I'm the first female Black to go to Hogwarts in about twenty years, A BLACK you know what everyone thinks about them" she said strongly, Ron was looking at her guiltily and Harry was looking at her confused.

"You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first." He said sadly sighing at the end.

"You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff — I mean, I got Scabbers instead."

Ron's ears went pink, Megan sighed and shook her head.

Ron seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.

Harry told Ron never had any money in his life until a month ago, and all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.

"… and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort —"

Ron gasped and Megan covered her mouth.

"What?" said Harry.

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" Megan said sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people —"

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn… I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that sounded as if it had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."

"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough." Megan said kindly.

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Harry leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor Megan followed him.

He was muttering about buying as many Mars Bars as he could carry — but the woman didn't have Mars Bars.

"_What are 'Mars Bars'?" _Megan thought.

What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry looked like he had never seen in his life. Harry got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

Ron stared as Harry and Megan brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?" Megan asked once she put her pile on the seat.

"Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef…"

"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on —"

"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."

"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron and Megan eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).

"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs.

"They're not really frogs, are they?"

"No," Megan said. "But see what the card is. Ron's missing Agrippa."

"What?"

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know — Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect — famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy." Ron explained

Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.

"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.

"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —"

Harry turned the card over and read it.

Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.

"He's gone!"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Megan

"He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her… do you want it? You can start collecting."

Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. "Go on, Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!" Megan laughed at his expression.

Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every flavour Beans.

"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour — you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavoured one once."

Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.

"Bleaaargh — see? Sprouts."

Every flavour Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end of a funny grey one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.

A round-faced boy came in. He looked tearful.

"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up," said Harry.

"Don't worry" Megan added

"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him…"

He left.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."

Megan hit Ron again.

"That wasn't very nice" she chided him. The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…"

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway —"

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

"_She looks very cleaver" _Megan thought.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."

She sat down on the seat next to Megan. Ron looked taken aback.

"Er — all right."

He cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it?

I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

She said all this very fast.

Megan looked at Harry and saw him looking at Ron, Megan realised that his stunned face meant that he hadn't learned the entire course books by heart either.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Megan Black-Marron" Megan said putting her hand forwards. She didn't see the point in not telling them her full last name they would find out at Hogwarts anyway.

"You're a Black" The girl gasped looking at Megan's hand wearily. Megan rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat.

"Harry Potter," Harry said.

"Are you really?" Hermione asked. "I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"Am I?" Harry asked looking dazed.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron.

He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell — George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud." Megan sighed; those twins would be causing havoc this year - with her help of course

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.

"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"

"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses.

"Yes Ron, he is looking slightly yellower" Megan said trying to cheer him up.

"So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron.

"Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles — someone tried to rob a high security vault." Megan said

Harry stared.

"Really? What happened to them?" he asked intressted

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught." Ron said mouth full of Pumpkin pasty "My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."

"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked trying to change the subject.

"Er — I don't know any." Harry confessed.

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world —" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. Megan smiled at her cousin and patted his arm. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.

Three boys entered, and Megan glared at the middle one, it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop.

He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," Harry said. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford." He then noticed Megan again. "Oh so the blood traitor's here as well"

He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort." He said looking at Megan and Ron pointedly "I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it. Megan smirked.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys, Hagrid, and Marron here is the worst of the lot, could have had it all but decided to go for the losing side" he sneered at Megan.

Both Harry and Ron stood up. Megan was looking at Malfoy shocked.

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you get out now," said Harry.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron — Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.

Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle

— Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.

"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.

"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep."

And so he had. Megan chucked slightly.

"You've met Malfoy before?" he said to Harry.

Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

"Nice one Meg, I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. Megan sighed. If this girl wants to make friends she wasn't going about it a very good way.

"And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron glared at her as she left. Harry was peering out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. Megan turned away from the boys as they started undressing.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." The boys looked away for Megan as she changed.

The three of them crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Megan felt Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and they heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Megan and Ron were followed into their boat by Hermione.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

* * *

_**Hey, **_

_**I think I've done really well, What do you think? Well please Review,**_

_**Bye,**_

_**-Becky**_


	3. 3 We Get Sorted

**Chapter 3 (We get sorted)**

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and looked like someone you didn't want to cross

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

Everyone followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Megan and Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Megan saw Harry nervously try to flatten his hair.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber.

How exactly do they sort us into houses?" Harry asked Ron.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Megan rolled her eyes, she knew the twins would try and get Ron worked up like this,

Harry was looking around anxiously. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Megan sighed and just started humming a Weird Sisters song.

Harry was keeping his eyes fixed on the door.

Several people suddenly screamed.

"What the —?"

Megan heard Harry gasp next to her. So did the people around them. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing.

What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Megan moved behind Ron as he was moved behind Harry and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Megan looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. She heard Hermione whisper to her, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

Megan looked down as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.

Noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, the first years stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see, _

_I'll eat myself if you can find _

_A smarter hat than me. _

_You can keep your bowlers black, _

_Your top hats sleek and tall, _

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat _

_And I can cap them all. _

_There's nothing hidden in your head _

_The Sorting Hat can't see, _

_So try me on and I will tell you _

_Where you ought to be. _

_You might belong in Gryffindor, _

_Where dwell the brave at heart, _

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry _

_Set Gryffindors apart; _

_You might belong in Hufflepuff, _

_Where they are just and loyal, _

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true _

_And unafraid of toil; _

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, _

_If you've a ready mind, _

_Where those of wit and learning, _

_Will always find their kind; _

_Or perhaps in Slytherin _

_You'll make your real friends, _

_Those cunning folk use any means _

_To achieve their ends. _

_So put me on! Don't be afraid! _

_And don't get in a flap! _

_You're in safe hands (though I have none) _

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!" _

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Harry smiled weakly whilst Megan rolled her eyes.

"You know Fred would pull your leg like that so why did you listen to him?" she asked.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause —

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Megan looked nervously at the Slytherin table to see most of them were glaring at her.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, Megan noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus,"

The sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned.

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool.

The hat took a long time to decide with Neville.

When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

"Marron-Black, Megan" Professor McGonagall called, All eyes on the hall snapped to Megan and she took a deep breath and walked forwards slowly, she sat down on the stool and felt the hat fall down over her head.

"A Black, haven't sorted one of them since Regulus Black" A voice said like it was whispering in her ear. "Tricky one you are, but I've seen worse"

"Not Slytherin" She thought. Megan wanted to prove she was different from her family; her mother's side of the family had all been in Slytherin except from her and her Unlce Sirius. Megan had never met him; she was told that he was put in the wizarding prison about a year after she was born.

"She said the same thing you know, your mother Cynthia Black, smart girl, woman now, incredibly smart, Right since you don't want to be a Slytherin and you're un-patient so not Hufflepuff but you do have a thirst for learning and knowledge, I think you should be…"

"Gryffindor, I want to be a Gryffindor" Megan thought desperately

"Very well you'll be a…" Megan took a breath.

"GRYFFINDOR" the hat shouted and Megan jumped off the stool towards Fred and George to be pulled into hugs by the three Weasley boys and her brother.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon"…, "Nott"…, "Parkinson"…, then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"…, then "Perks, Sally-Anne"…, and then, at last —

"Potter, Harry!"

Megan watched as Harry stepped forward and whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

Everyone in the hall was craning to get a good look at him, Megan had to pull her brother and Fred back into their seat.

"Leave him alone, he's just a boy" she whispered furiously as Harry put the hat on she gave him a small smile when he looked at her. Two minutes later the hat shouted…

"GRYFFINDOR" Megan smiled in relief, Harry came running towards her and sat down next to him.

"Hey, congratulations" she whispered, he smiled at her.

"Thanks" he said over the noise of people trying to congratulate him. Fred, George and Luke were shouting "We got Potter, We got Potter" over and over again. Megan hit them over the head.

"Shhh, Ron's turn soon"

Megan looked at the head table Hagrid was sitting at the end, and he smiled at Harry who grinned back. And there, in the centre of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Megan spotted another Professor, too, he looked to be nervous young man. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban.

And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined them at the Gryffindor table.

"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now.

Megan held her breath as Ron walked towards the stool and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry and Megan clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to Harry.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across Harry.

As "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Megan was laughing silently. Harry looked as if he didn't know whether to laugh or not.

"Is he — a bit mad?" he asked Percy uncertainly.

"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"

Megan watched as Harry's mouth fell open as the ghost in the ruff ascended through the food.

"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak.

"Can't you —?"

"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you — you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy —" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.

"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces,

"Goodness me" Megan gasped and put a hand to her mouth.

Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So — new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable — he's the Slytherin ghost."

Megan glanced over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood.

He was right next to Malfoy who didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.

"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding…

"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

The others laughed.

"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.

"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages.

My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me — he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned — but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced — all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy.

And you should have seen their faces when I got in here — they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."

"So Megan you're a Black" Seamus asked carefully, Megan sighed.

"Yes I'm part Black, My mother was one, and before you ask no she is not in Azkaban, she likes all witches and wizards, not just purebloods"

"Cool, so your not going to be like Malfoy over there thinking that pureblood is better than everything else, Are you?" Megan laughed.

"No way, I just think that is a load of stupid, I bet some Muggleborn witches and Wizards are better than some Purebloods"

Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons

"I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult" Hermione gushed

"You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing" Percy explained

Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.

"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.

"What is it?" asked Percy.

"N-nothing."

"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked Percy.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to — everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job; Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again.

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of Fred, George and Luke who were grinning.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." Megan raised her eye brows, her mother and father never told her anything about the third floor corridor on the right being out of bounds.

"He's not serious?" she heard Harry muttered to Percy.

"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere — the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which raised high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

_"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march, with Luke laughing at them the whole time. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Megan was too sleepy to notice that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries.

They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet. A bundle of walking sticks was floating in mid-air ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves — show yourself."

A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.

"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"

There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.

"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron will hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.

Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armour as he passed.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it — Neville needed a leg up — and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cosy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase — they were obviously in one of the towers — they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, the girls pulled on their pyjamas and fell into bed.

"What a day" Megan said hugging her pillow, Hermione put a book on her bed side table.

"Definitely, I'm so excited though aren't you?" she asked, Megan sighed in content.

"Nope, my brother's a third year here; and I know all the Weasley's so they've told me stories about here, maybe I'll introduce you" she said before she fell into a deep sleep.

_**Hey,**_

_**What do you think of this chapter I'm doing well? Right? Review,**_

_**Bye,**_

_**-Becky**_


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